The present invention relates in general to electrical connector assemblies and more particularly to an improved subminiature electrical connector arrangement especially suited for effecting appropriate interconnection between portable hand-held two-way communication equipment and associated remote control apparatus, such as a remote microphone-loudspeaker or a vehicular converter apparatus.
Miniaturized electronic apparatus, such as portable hand-held two-way communication equipment, is intended to be completely self-contained. That is, the radio circuit components are customarily powered by a self-contained power supply in the form of a plurality of dry cell or nickel-cadmium batteries. A speaker located behind a front grille structure may serve as both loudspeaker for listening purposes as well as a microphone for transmission of messages. In other applications, a separate microphone unit is utilized. In any event, suitable hand operated controls are included, such as on/off, volume, squelch, frequency selection and the like, while an antenna, usually of the telescopic rod type, is conventionally included as well.
There are instances, however, when it is desired to effect some or all of the necessary control functions from a remote location, or at least from a position outside and separate from the radio housing itself. For example, it is often preferred to utilize a remote microphone/speaker unit clipped to the clothing of a user at some location near the ear, i.e., shoulder or coat lapel, which is then connected to wire lead or coaxial cable to the radio apparatus proper worn on the belt of the user. The remote unit also customarily includes an antenna extending upwardly, which to a large extent, avoids the body capacity effects that would otherwise obtain when the antenna on the radio apparatus extends from the unit at the user's belt level.
Still another remote connection requirement occurs when the hand-held portable equipment is to be utilized in a mobile converter installation in a way that the vehicular power source, i.e. 12-volt lead storage battery, and outside antenna apparatus is to be utilized, along with separate radio controls.
In either application, a remote connector device must be physically attached to the radio communication equipment in order to effect a plurality of necessary control functions. For example, the speaker unit within the radio unit must be disconnected, or at least inactivated, while the speaker unit in the remote control apparatus is to be connected instead. The remotely located antenna is connected in while the antenna included on the radio unit itself is disconnected. In vehicular conversion systems, the internal self-contained power source is disconnected and the vehicular battery source substituted in its place.
While connector arrangements to effect the foregoing purposes are of course known in the art, such prior art structures nevertheless leave a good deal to be desired and do not accomplish the task efficiently and reliably. Moreover, component parts of such prior connector assemblies are frequently damaged by being forced into and out of operative engagement because of misalignment and other mishandling.